Mernagh gets nod for Carlow in Leinster opener

Carlow have one championship debutant for Sunday’s Leinster SFC first-round meeting with Westmeath at Cusack Park in Mullingar (3.30pm).

Shane Mernagh is rewarded for an impressive league campaign for Anthony Rainbow’s side and is named at full-back. In all, the side features 12 of the team which started against Laois in the opening round of last year’s qualifiers, a four-point defeat, while a 13th, Derek Hayden, came on as a sub in that game. Corner-back Barry-John Molloy makes his first championship start for the Dolmen County, having appeared off the substitutes’ bench last year.

Antrim have left a vacancy at corner-forward for their Leinster hurling first-round clash with Laois at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise tomorrow evening (7pm).